Various systems and methods are known for attaching a dental prosthesis, such as a full or partial denture or the like, in the mouth of a patient. Such systems generally comprise mating male and female parts, one of which is attached to the dental prosthesis and the other to an abutment which is mounted at a selected position in the patient's jaw. The abutment may be attached to a root, an endosseous implant, or an adjacent tooth, or in some cases, may be integrated directly into the jaw bone of the patient.
One known attachment uses an O-ring or plastic ring member which is inserted and retained in a cap which is secured in a recess in a dental prosthesis. The O-ring engages over a ball at the end of an implant abutment or post to releasably secure the denture in place in a patient's mouth. One example of this type of attachment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,030 of Bulard et al. One problem with this type of attachment is the difficulty associated with the initial placement of the O-ring into the cap and the subsequent replacement of the O-ring when it becomes damaged or worn from repeated removal and re-attachment of the denture. The O-ring has to compress evenly as it is inserted into the cap, but it has the tendency to spring back out if this is not done correctly. The dimensions of the O-ring and cap are such that it is very difficult to insert the O-ring by hand or with tweezers, which is the current method.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a faster and more efficient tool and/or method of inserting an O-ring into a cap.